BLOOD AMMONIA CONCENTRATION AND ANAEROBIC PERFORMANCE DURING THE WINGATE ANAEROBIC TEST AND NA ADAPTED WINGATE TEST

During short-duration supramaximal exercise muscular ammonia production occurs mainly through AMP deamination in the purine nucleotide cycle, which may prevent ADP accumulation during explosive exercise bouts. However, high blood ammonia concentrations may be envolved in peripheric and central fatigue. There is only little information concerning the relationship between ammonia production and anaerobic performance during supramaximal exercise bouts of short duration. Purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between ammonia production and anaerobic performance during supramaximal exercise bouts of short duration. Purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between blood ammonia concentrations and performance during the Wingate anaerobic test and an adapted Wingate test. Twelve healthy male subjects were submitted to two supramaximal exercise bouts on the cycle-ergometer with different durations: 15 seconds (W15) and 30 seconds (W30). Tests were carried out in different days in a controlled thermoneutral environment (22 C and 65% R.H.). The order of the tests was randomized. Blood ammonia concentrations after W15 and W30 correlated significantly (r = 0.67), but no differences could be observed between post-exercise concentrations (A15 = 280,33 ± 90,63 and A30 = 287,83 ± 88,25). No significant correlations were observed between mean power and blood ammonia concentration for both W15 and W30. However, peak power correlated significantly with post-exercise blood ammonia concentrations for both W15 (r = 0.61) and W30 (r = 0.63). Peak power was not statistically different in the treatments (Ppeak15 = 865,75 ± 142,73 W and Ppeak30 = 882,33 ± 140,52 W) (p < 0.05). These results indicate that muscular ammonia production is relatively high during short-term supramaximal exercise (15s) and may be related to performance in very short explosive exercise bouts. However, the role of ammonia metabolism on energy production during supramaximal exercise as well as the use of blood ammonia concentrations as a physiological marker for anaerobic performance demand further research.